Tag Archives: white collar

In 2017, a lot people and various parts of different countries are talking and experimenting with basic income. Automation — comes naturally and intelligently through artificial intelligence — is the new thing that has gotten people worried. Some people argue that AI’s automation will replace human beings with robots/programs in all sorts of jobs. Dumb automation probably has already replaced humans in many cumbersome, repetitive jobs/functions. Intelligent machines/programs through AI can probably replace many white collar jobs already. When too many people are out of work, this could become a huge bother for many powerful people who carry important positions in our society. Displaced people would want to be able to survive and strive in a society in which they’re no longer productive, but this could mean standing up against the factory owners, corporations, and even the governments. If not careful, a world of full automation could mean a bloody revolution. Thus, basic income becomes an urgent question for many leaders in any country in our time.

Nonetheless, in the West, we have a thing that was being taught since the fall of Soviet Union is that communism has failed utterly. We look at China as if Chinese communistic society is the new capitalist society. How can basic income fit into a Western society in which communism has been taught to be disgusted upon? After all, basic income is about rationing, splitting equal income for everyone in a single society. Isn’t communism is also about rationing and splitting equal things for a community, a society, and in biggest case a country? I guess, we could argue a mix of basic income with capitalistic values won’t lead to new communism, but it could morph into an entirely different beast. I guess we should ask, can a strong supportive basic income be an uplifting element for the despondent citizens? I guess we should consider the humming capitalistic tunes of the middle class in this situation. Can basic income give the despondent ones a chance to reach the middle and eventually the upper classes within this beastly creation?

Perhaps, basic income may not be the only solution. Perhaps, we require many more parts of a larger, more creative solution in order for us to tackle the AI’s automation revolution. Imagine in a society in which doing good things promotes good karma, and this karma translates into real monetary credits. Can this route take us to a Nirvana? Basic income to support a crumpling foundation, and on the top of this reparable foundation we decorate it with good karma. The double edge sword of a good karma/credit system is that the implementation of punishments, punishing the good people who have bad karma/credits. Then the question should be asked such as what could be the punishments for the people who have bad karma/credits? This won’t be a good thing if new harsh punishments are there to wreck havoc in lives of good citizens. It could literally lead to a society in which looks very much like a Nazi one. Perhaps, karma/credit system should be used for the implementation of a positive, credit/monetary system only and not much more, and no punishment should come along with this very system. This way, good folks won’t be affected by stupid punishments. Just imagine good karma/credit system provides even more basic income on the top of the basic income?

I couldn’t let this go. Imagine a society in which isn’t too different from a fantastical Star Trek’s one, because a replicator alone could conjure any item out of the thin air. Perhaps, a replicator could replace basic income and money and credits altogether? If such a society and technology exist, this could mean the end of being desperate in a more intelligent universe. Perhaps, if this to occur, people won’t have the need for ancient money/credit system, because a replicator alone could conjure up anything. It’s magical. Anyhow, the summation of all is that an interesting time is upon us, and AI’s automation may be replacing us humans in all sorts of jobs. The old system isn’t providing an answer to how to create new jobs in an AI universe. A jobless society would be very different in nature, because people need money to survive. Without providing jobs to a hungry population, a society could face an upheaval of all sorts. Can basic income and good karma/credit system provide a way to cope with AI’s automation?